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Dead of the Night: Game Thread - Chapter Two

Dawn comes early this day to the occupants of Ardmor's Inn and Trading Post. But it is a welcome dawn nonetheless, for the storm and heavy rains of the previous night have moved on, leaving behind the signs of their passage. All about, the land is wet and muddied and puddles of rainwater dot the drenched landscape. Though the sky remains gray and overcast, it is a welcome relief from the constant downpour that recently inundated the land.

The guests of the inn are allowed to sleep late however, due to the disturbing events that occurred inside the inn and deprived them of sleep during the night. When they do finally rise from their beds late in the morning, they are fed by Ardmor and his family. Then the grim task begins of burying the five guests of the inn who died the previous night, plus the body of the mysterious creature known to them as Rudvarien. This task is made all the more difficult by the muddy ground near the inn, where the bodies are buried. Varian presides over the burials and blesses the graves in the hopes that the bodies being laid to rest do not return to the land of the living.

Once this is done, Varian and Amber in particular, spend some time trying to identify the magic items found on the bodies and in the rooms of those they just buried. After doing this, these items are then divided among the five surviving guests, all of which did their part in killing the creature responsible for the deaths of the other five guests, not to mention the innkeeper's dog. By the time all of this is done, it has become clear that it is now too late in the day to get very far down the road. So the decision is made to delay their travels another day and set out from the inn on the following morning.

That afternoon then, Alden, Amber, Varian, Cissinei and Krac are gathered around a table in the barroom, taking a break and perhaps enjoying a meal or a drink.

Varian turns to Alden and says, "So Alden, I've been thinking about what you said last night, about the Kargat killing your mentor Wat. Can you explain this further? How do you know it was the Kargat?"

"My master was killed by someone, or something." I think of the creature's face, emotionless, as he said those terrible words "Beware the Kargat!" "My master told me to beware of the Ka... Now I know what he meant. He never told me what he did to have the Kargat chase him, but he did live in a hut in the middle of nowhere. Now thinking about it, that's probably why. But there is only one thing I can do. I will kill them all... one day."

"Hmm, I wonder," says Varian. "Did Wat ever speak about his past or give any clues about what kind of life he led before moving out into the forest all by himself? Did you ever get the feeling that he was hiding from somebody there, perhaps the Kargat maybe?"

"Well, I know he was some type of warrior. He was a master with the bastard sword. That's really all he told me. He told me somethings about certain people he met during the prime of his life. That would be all... He was quite fascinated with my story though, parents killed by a vampire and all that." I stare down, thinking of that gruesome night, holding back emotions.

"You know," continues Varian. "It has just occurred to me. Something very odd...In all the time that I've lived in Darkon, you are the only person that I've ever met that says they have lived in Darkon for several years, but was born and raised someplace else. Don't you think that's kind of odd? But you know what's even more strange? I can recall meeting people who said they came from other lands, but then years, or sometimes just a matter of months later, these same people claimed that they had lived in Darkon all their lives. Have any of you guys experienced this? Don't you think that's pretty weird?"

As those sitting around the table think about this, they all realize that the same can be said for them. Not one person there can think of anyone that hasn't claimed to live in Darkon their entire lives, and yet, they've all met people who say they came from other lands fairly recently. In fact, they also know of people who said they were from some other land, but then years later, would insist that they've always lived in Darkon.

The door to the inn opens as I turn the handle, and the warmth washes over me, fighting back the chill from the outside. I gaze around the main room a moment before taking a breath and turning to close the door. My scale mail clacks and scratches as I walk in, my hand resting lightly on the pommel of my longsword.

The room is filled with a few people, mostly sitting around one table. They all look up, and I nod politely before moving to a table closer to the fire. It was a terrible day, and I surely didn't want to have to sleep outside again. My cloak is pulled around my head, hiding my short, brown hair, and more importantly my slightly tapered ears. Only my face can be seen, strong and serious. My eyes turn up slightly, and glimmer green under my hood.

Though seated I still cut a somewhat imposing figure. I am tall and broad shouldered, and move comfortably in the heavy armor I am wearing. In fact it barely seems to bother me at all.

I lay my hands on the table and lean back, closing my eyes for just a moment.

A heavy-set man steps out of the kitchen door and into the barroom. He is balding on top but what hair he has is dark, as is his beard and mustache. He wears the attire of commoner and appears to be a man that is normally good-natured, though it seems by his expression that this has not been one of his better days. He spots the man that has just recently entered the inn and strolls over to him.

"Oh," he says to him. "I am so sorry. I did not hear you enter. My name is Ardmor, welcome to my establishment. What can I get for you? A drink perhaps? A room? How about a nice warm meal to warm your bones?"

I look up at the large man and give him a small smile. With a nod, I reach down at pull out my small purse of coins. “That would be great, sir. A drink, and food for now, and a room for later. “ I say, putting a few coins in my hand and standing to give them to him. I give a second small smile, disliking the attention of being waited on. I take my seat after he leaves, and go back to intently staring at the floor in between my knees. A nice meal and a long rest, that’s all I need.

"Yes, of course sir," Ardmor tells the man. "I assume a glass of ale will be alright. It's my best seller. I'll get it for you right away. And I'll have some of my wife's stew and bread brought out to you. Oh, and when you're ready for your room, just let me know. You'll have to sign the register at the front desk, then I can give you a key." Ardmor walks off towards the bar and as he does so he calls out towards the kitchen, "Imogen, we have a customer."

The voice of a young woman can be heard from beyond, "Coming father."

A moment later, a young woman, Imogen, comes out of the kitchen with a bowl of stew and a plate with bread on it. She is an attractive girl of about seventeen with long dark hair. She delivers the food and drink to the newcomer. As she does so, she looks over at those sitting around the other table, making sure to give Alden a smile, and says, "I'll be right with you all." Then as she sets the food down at the table where the newcomer is seated, she looks at him somewhat timidly and says, "If you need anything more just let me know."

Meanwhile, at the other table, the conversation has grown silent, as those seated there have been observing the newcomer while trying to keep from being so obvious about it. But after the events of the previous night, one could hardly blame them for being a bit distrusting towards strangers.

Varian however, now suddenly aware of the awkward silence in the room, decides to renew their conversation. "So," he says. "As I was saying...Alden, Amber, do either of you know of anyone who claims to have lived in Darkon for years, other than Alden, but hasn't always lived here? I'm rather curious to know."

Again the answer is no for both Alden and Amber but Varian can't read their minds.

I look up and smile at the girl. Maybe she was just shy, or maybe it was the way I was dressed, but she just seemed almost...afraid. Maybe I'm just paranoid. "Thank you." I say as she sets down the food. Steam rises from the food in front of me, and my stomach growls, urging me to eat. I pick up the spoon and take a giant bite.

The soup was delicious. I could feel the warmth all the way into my stomach. As I go to take a second bite I suddenly stop. The entire room is quiet. I look up and see a few of the people at the other table staring at me. The rest probably were too, judging from how all the talking had ceased. My mouth tightens, and not a small amount of anger flairs up. I have seen prejudice before, but I didn't expect it here, not in a place like this.

Suddenly their conversation restarts, and I calm back down. What is going on here? "Just don't like newcomers I guess." I say quietly to my soup, before taking another large bite.

"Today!?" says Krac. "Are you crazy? It's almost dusk! You don't want to go out when it's about to get dark!" Krac looks at Varian. "Are sure you cured him? I think he musta got his brains scrambled or something."

"Now Krac," Varian says. "No need to be mean." Varian turns to Alden and says, "But once again, despite his rudeness, Krac is right. Don't you remember? We already agreed to set out tomorrow morning. It's just too late in the day today. Besides, if we time it right, we might be able to catch a ride on a merchant barge up the river and save ourselves some walking. Although I do admit, that I would like to be moving on as soon as possible. I just can't help but wonder. If it was the Kargat that killed your master, perhaps the Kargat is interested in you as well. It seems to be awfully coincidental that Rudvarien gave you a warning about the Kargat not long after your master did too. It also seems to be rather coincidental that the only magic item he was carrying, but for some reason wasn't using, was a bastard sword, the very same weapon that your master trained you in. Maybe I'm just being a little paranoid here, but there are just too many of these "coincidences" for my liking. Don't any of you agree with me?"

Varian stops talking at this point, suddenly realizing that perhaps he was just now speaking a bit too openly and loudly. No doubt the stranger at the other table heard every word he said. Following a look from Cissinei that basically read as, "Shut up, blabber-mouth," Varian turns towards the stranger at the other table, gives him a slight smile and a quick little wave of the hand as if to say, "Hey, how's it going?" then says a silent prayer to Ezra that he is not a member of the Eternal Order, or even worse, the Kargat.